Rafael Nadal has withdrawn for next week's ATP tournament in Buenos Aires, citing a stomach virus.

The world number one, who hurt his back during his Australian Open final defeat to Stanislas Wawrinka last month, made the announcement on Thursday evening.

Nadal had been due to return to the ATP World Tour by playing in the Copa Claro claycourt tournament, which starts on Monday.

However, on Thursday he said he was "not ready" due to the virus which had prevented him from practising for the first time since Melbourne and would not be travelling to Argentina.

In a video statement he explained that having not trained on court at all since the Australian Open meant it was "impossible to have adequate preparation to compete in a tournament as important as Buenos Aires".

The Spaniard's next scheduled engagement is in Rio de Janeiro - a new clay tournament on the ATP World Tour which starts on February 17.